Showing articles about playful learning

See those kids hopping about in front of a studio made up to look like the perfect living room? They are playing Kinect Nat Geo TV Season Two, baby! And you can too, because the sequel/add-on to the original Kinect Nat Geo TV is now available to download on Xbox 360. This season promises eight more episodes of nature-themed education mixed with motion-controlled minigames, plus a new host: Brady Barr of Dangerous Encounters.

Microsoft's Kinect peripheral offers some fine opportunities to get in shape while having a bit of fun. Earlier this year, learning also entered the mix thanks to Kinect Nat Geo TV and Kinect Sesame Street TV (only the former of which is co-op). As I explained in our co-op review, I wasn't crazy about the actual game portion of Nat Geo TV, but I did approve of the concept as a whole. It seems the wider Kinect audience appreciated the idea too, as both games will receive a second season on January 7th, right after the holidays.

Microsoft's Kinect Nat Geo TV aims to both educate and entertain, much like the long-forgotten edutainment titles of yore. Is the combination of live-action footage and motion-controlled minigame interaction a good way to learn? Yes, but the co-op could use a bit of work.